education. aim reduce unauthorised absence and exclusion amongst fostered children and young people...
DESCRIPTION
Aim “Reduce unauthorised absence and exclusion amongst fostered children and young people in Wales” What is going wrong? Research has highlighted the issues that impact on a looked after child's education experience. This includes: A lack of ambition Placement instability School exclusion and/or inadequate educational provision Lack of specialist and supplementary help Concentration on leaving care and preparation for independence Low educational attainments of foster carers The failure of corporate parentingTRANSCRIPT
Education
Aim
“Reduce unauthorised absence and exclusion amongst fostered children and young
people in Wales”
Background51% of looked after children leave school with no GCSE or GNVQ qualifications (Data unit Wales, 2009)
In England 11% of looked after pupils achieved 5 GCSE’s (A* to C) compared with 56% of all year 11’s (DFES, 2006)
Looked after children were almost 8 times more likely to be excluded (National statistics, 2005)
50% of care leavers are not in education, employment or training on their nineteenth birthday (WAG, 2009)
An educational qualification is the best single predictor of future earning power (Byner et al, 2002)
Aim
“Reduce unauthorised absence and exclusion amongst fostered children and young
people in Wales”
What is going wrong?
Research has highlighted the issues that impact on a looked after child's education experience.This includes:A lack of ambitionPlacement instabilitySchool exclusion and/or inadequate educational provisionLack of specialist and supplementary helpConcentration on leaving care and preparation for independenceLow educational attainments of foster carersThe failure of corporate parenting
Aim
“Reduce unauthorised absence and exclusion amongst fostered children and young
people in Wales”
RecommendationsThe Fostering Network published suggestions for changes in improving the educational achievements of looked after childrenThis includes:Everyone involved in looked after children being ambitious for themProviding regular and ongoing training to empower and equip foster carersDeveloping partnerships between foster carers and relevant educational personnel (e.g. LAC Education Coordinators, designated teachers)Enabling children’s involvement in extracurricular activitiesRecognising the contributions of sons and daughtersEnsuring the views of children and young people inform local policyAccess to specialist and supplementary education and coachingIncreasing the number of 18-21 year olds who live with foster carers
EducationDevelopme
ntProject
Jodie TrotmanEducational Development Worker
02920 [email protected]
Contact:
Aim
“Reduce unauthorised absence and exclusion amongst fostered children and young
people in Wales”
“Reduce unauthorised absence and exclusion amongst fostered children
and young people in Wales”
Objectives• Support effective working relationships between foster carers,
social services and educational personnel• Assist foster carers in identifying sources of help for children in
their care• Advocate for individual foster families (including accompanying
them to meetings with schools)• Support appropriate training to enable foster carers to maximise
the educational achievements of children in their care• Work directly with fostered young people to identify the barriers
they face in education and the measures that would enable them to overcome this
Project Aim